Milestones
by Hansine
Summary: Everyone sets milestones for themselves. Theirs was to meet the one, move in together, build a successful business, get married, start a family. But when she got pregnant earlier than expected, things had to start changing. Modern AU. Chrobin.
1. Chapter 1

**Milestones** \- **Chapter 1**

Robin stared absently at the night sky, sheets pulled up covering her practically naked body, her chin resting on her hands. Whenever she was with him, the intellect she prided herself in seemed to go out the window and her heart ruled. Never in a million years would she have imagined that she would end up where she is now: her boss's right hand and his girlfriend, though the latter label came first.

They were classmates in college and met in the strangest of circumstances. She had arrived early for class and wound up sleeping on the ground, book falling from her hand and covering her chest. Amid the hustle and bustle of students and teachers arriving, the noise was a dull, faint rhythm in her half-asleep world. Except his voice, that was crystal clear.

" _There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know. Give me your hand." Robin woke up with a start, sitting up with her hair sticking out at odd angles and grass stuck on her back and palms. She looked up, embarrassed to be seen, biting her lower lip as she took his proffered hand. As she stood up, a wave of dizziness took over and she started to fall forward, landing on his chest. "Oopsie daisy…"_

" _Ah! I'm sorry." Robin's face was red, movements jittery as she tried to brush away the bits of grass that transferred from her hands to his chest. He laughed. It was soft, deep, and comforting, a little hypnotic too. "I'm sorry…"_

" _Chrom." He smiled again, his hands reaching over, dusting off whatever was on her back. His fingers seemed to dance innocently in between her shoulder blades then running up and down her spine, absently switching between picking off grass and rubbing small circles down her back. Robin's body jerked slightly as she leaned into his chest again, this time grabbing fistfuls of his shirt. "Hmmm…?"_

" _You. Jerk." She hissed, looking up at him with tears in her slightly glazed over eyes. Her lips were quivering. Robin was about to say something again when he pressed down a sensitive spot in the small of her back, just off center from her spine, making her help, her knees starting to buckle. She hit his chest with her fists weakly, her forehead slumped against him as she mumbled jackass…_

" _Sorry, couldn't help it. You're too cute and defenseless like this." Chrom smiled again, pushing her away slightly but this time his hand dropping down and deftly interlacing his fingers with hers. He bent down and picked up her bag and her book, carrying them along with a pretty heavy bag of his own. "Come on, we'll be late if we don't hurry."_

" _Now whose fault is that?" Robin grumbled, but letting herself be led by him anyway. His back was wide, the skin on his neck lightly tanned. Her eyes wandered to his arms, a curious mark peeking through. As if to break her out of her daze, she felt his hand squeeze affectionately. "Robin."_

" _Hm?" Chrom looked back for a second before turning his head forwards again, pulling her along gently as they made their way to the auditorium. He easily maneuvered through the crowd, managing to find an easy path all while holding her hand tightly and clutching two bags and a book._

" _You're Chrom right? My name is Robin."_

" _Not anymore love."_

" _L-l-love?" Robin stared at Chrom incredulously. They knew each other all of ten minutes and he was calling her love? She hoped it was just his pet name for all the girls in his life. She assumed he'd already had a few girlfriends at this point, but something about his tone told her that this was different, that she was different._

" _Love," he repeated firmly._

 _Robin reddened further, her ears growing hot. Who was this wildly charismatic young man and why was he so interested in her?_

"Love?" Chrom's voice snapped her out of her reverie. He climbed into bed behind Robin, pulling her close, his arm resting just under her chest. "What were you thinking of?"

"The day we met," she replied lazily.

"Oh so the day you fell in love with me?" Robin shivered, feeling his breath on her nape.

"As if," she laughed, pulling away from him and started for the bathroom.

"Where are you going little miss?" Chrom's tone was laced with mischief as he attempted to grab her hand but to no avail.

"To shower. Unlike you, I'm still a mess and we have work tomorrow." Robin stuck her tongue out playfully, picking out one of his clean undershirts from a basket and her clean underwear in a pile right beside it.

"Do we have to? Can't we just stay here and cuddle all day? Preferably with no clothes on. It's a bit hot." Chrom complained unabashedly, starting to dry his hair.

"Pervert." Her lips turned up slightly as her feet stepped onto the cool marble of the bathroom.

"Think I'll join you in the shower, might've missed a spot anyway." He was about to stand up when he heard a click. Chrom cursed loudly, making sure Robin could hear. She only laughed in reply.

When Robin was done showering, she made her way straight to the bed, hand half over her mouth as she attempted to stifle a yawn. His shirt slipped from her shoulders, revealing the swell of her chest. _I should probably buy some nightgowns soon. These shirts are too big..._

"Chrom?" She barely managed to stifle another yawn when she climbed in, Chrom shifting and lifting his arm as she wriggled herself into his embrace. He let his arm drape over her shoulders, rubbing her hair in between his fingers. Robin looked up at his slightly furrowed brows. "What are you reading?"

"Just looking over the report for tomorrow one last time." He set the papers aside and shut the lamp off. Chrom pulled her close and gently kissed her forehead, Robin's eyes fluttering closed as she curled up against him. Their legs started to tangle together as they pulled themselves even closer, as if needing reassurance that they weren't alone.

"Good night love," she whispered before finally letting herself go. Chrom smiled against her hair, breathing in the fruity scent of her shampoo. Robin was usually too embarrassed to be openly affectionate in her language but when she was, it only made hearing her speak that way warm his heart even more.

"Night love," he whispered back. Chrom gazed at the woman sleeping in his arms, his eyelids growing heavier and heavier. He used to hate the evenings because sleep always evaded him. Apparently Robin had the same problem but when they were together like this, they savored the peace they suddenly seemed to find.

 **-x-**

Chrom woke up to a warm but empty bed. He slowly blinked away the bleariness, yawning as he got out. "Robin?"

He made his way to the kitchen, the smell of coffee too good to stay away from. He sat down on one of the bar chairs, picking up the french press and poured a hefty mug of coffee. As he sipped his morning brew, he picked up a neatly written note, her beautiful cursive outlining a short message.

 _Morning. Made you some coffee and breakfast. Just turn the toaster on, the bread's already in it, and there's scrambled eggs in the pan. Don't skip. I'll know. Left for work early. Robin._

Chrom chuckled, setting down his mug as he started the toaster and transferred the eggs to his plate. They were still warm. He pulled out butter from the fridge and started to set his own place on the kitchen's bar. She already ate. Her plate, silverware, and mug were already washed and set down to dry.

"Why we still have to leave for the office separately, I don't know." Chrom poked at the eggs with his fork, deftly picking up his toast when the alarm rang. They lived together. It's not like they were keeping it a secret anyway but even if they were, Chrom was pretty bad at sweeping it under the rug. Still, insisting that they leave for the office was not an argument he felt like having. They had few serious arguments and he never liked how they progressed. Their first one very nearly tore them apart.

" _Come on, we'll share the rent. I'll even let you pick out the decorations, whatever we can afford and whatever we have space for anyway," Chrom argued brightly, as if the matter of decor was going to be enough to sway her._

" _But I don't have to worry about food if I stay here," countered Robin, her eyes narrowing. She refused to budge._

" _Can't cook?" I thought there was nothing the great and powerful Robin can't do?" Robin hurled a throw pillow at his face. "Hey, that hurt!"_

" _I can too cook," she muttered angrily._

" _Then why don't you want to live together?" Chrom's voice lost all of its playfulness._

" _We don't even have the same schedule, plus I have a part time job that takes away some of my nights." Robin sounded tired, slumping in the chair as she rubbed her temples._

" _You make it sound like you're avoiding me, like you don't even love me anymore." His eyes narrowed, his tone laced with bitterness. A loud crack echoed in her quaint room. Chrom's head turned back towards her, his eyes wide in shock, as his hand cradled his now reddening cheek._

" _Get out." She was furious. How could he come to that conclusion? He was so used to moving at his own pace that he didn't even think about how terrifying it was for her. No one ever asked her how she felt about anything and out of everyone in the world, she thought he would._

" _I didn't mean-" He started to regret what he said, annoyed at himself for even doubting her._

" _Get out." Her voice cracked and tears started to fall. "Just get out Chrom. Leave me alone."_

 _He stood up wordlessly and made his way out, barely managing to contain his emotions. When he turned around to apologize, Robin shoved him out and slammed the door in his face. They both fell to their knees and started to cry, their hands clutching uselessly against the door._

 _For weeks they avoided each other, talking only when they had to meet up for a class project. For weeks they couldn't sleep, Robin barely managing to hide the dark circles and red eyes with makeup. Chrom spent his nights in his apartment, either working on papers or tossing and turning in bed. Their fight ended as quickly as it started, as soon as Chrom found himself drinking one too many glasses of whiskey._

" _Robin?" No answer. He shouted again, banging his fists against her door. If her neighbors woke up, he didn't care. "Robin?"_

" _What?" The door jerked open. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes tired, her voice raspy, but he didn't care. Chrom teetered forwards, pushing her down in the entryway as he shoved the door closed. He wasn't going to try anything, all he wanted was sweet and blissful sleep. "Get off me."_

" _Nope, not going to." He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent. He grew heavy on her, pinning her down as he started to doze off. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."_

" _Then why did you?" Robin stiffened, the hurt coming back. "And are you drunk? Chrom we still have class tomorrow."_

" _I dunno, just scared. Thought you didn't even think I was serious about me, about us." His whiskey-soaked breath was hot against her skin. He rolled off of her but kept one arm on top as she squirmed over to look at his red cheeks and half-lidded gaze. "Do you think about us?"_

" _Of course I do. I was just hurt you didn't even want to consider my feelings, that the only choice I could make was the one you wanted or we were over." The fact that he admitted he was scared softened her gaze. She pushed his arm away from her but held his hand tenderly. "Come on, this is no place to sleep."_

" _I love you." Her heart stopped as she looked at his face. His eyes were wide open but his lids were threatening to close. "I'm sorry I hurt you. We don't have to move in together if you're not ready. I'll wait. Meantime, I need to sleep and it seems the only way I can is knowing we're okay."_

" _Let's start looking for a place tomorrow, but for now, let's go to bed." Robin stood up as Chrom managed to push his tired body up,stumbling through her small apartment with her help. "Turns out I can't sleep either when we're fighting."_

They had other fairly big arguments since then. They grew very heated but they learned with each one. They learned that it was usually because they weren't trying to understand each other or they weren't listening. They learned that they needed to give each other space to cool down a little bit but should always try to fix things sooner rather than later because in the end, they only had each other.

 **-x-**

"Meeting's in ten minutes." Robin scrolled through the primer the prospective client sent over, hardly lifting her gaze as Chrom sauntered in. He leaned over her, glancing at the figures printed on the sides, the sharp smell of his aftershave a bit strong today. "What's that-"

Robin pushed him away, her stomach unsettled from the slightly alcoholic scent. Chrom raised an eyebrow as she rushed off, barely making it as she leaned over and started to throw up.

"You okay?"

She threw up again. He made his way to her bathroom, finding her slumped on the floor, her hands pushing her hair back against her slick forehead. Chrom sat down beside her, holding back her hair as he started to rub circles on her shoulders. Robin smiled appreciatively before turning her head away to throw up again.

"Maybe you should just go home and rest. You look a bit feverish."

"But the meeting…" Robin sounded weak. If she couldn't convince herself, there was no way she could convince him.

"Go, I can handle it." Robin raised an eyebrow. "I'll listen to them and I'll even ask questions, your questions. I won't make any decisions without you. You're not feeling well. They'll understand why you're not there."

They set up shop soon after graduating, Chrom the boss and Robin his practically-equal second. Every day was always so busy because of all the groundwork they had to do. Almost five years since then, just finally starting to be in the black, there was no rest for the weary. They were busy but they loved it. Their growing consulting firm was starting to get more and more projects and they finally started to have a say as to which projects they'd accept.

"Go home Robin, it's fine to take a day off every once in awhile, especially when you're sick." Robin was trying to save face but barely managed even fifteen seconds before throwing up again. "Once you're feeling better, I'll have Frederick take you home. I'm not taking no for an answer."

Robin raised her hands up in surrender. Truth be told, lately she hadn't been feeling so well in the mornings, barely managing to hide it from Chrom.

"Good girl." Robin's face finally started getting back some color when Chrom decided she was fine. He stood up before helping Robin to her feet, flushing the toilet. He had her lean against the wall as he took a towel and dampened it, pressing the cool cloth to her cheek. "I'll go home when the meeting is over, not a busy day today anyway after this. I'm sure the rest can handle it."

"Okay…" Chrom raised an eyebrow. She was being unusually submissive. Robin shooed him away. "Go on, I'll be fine."

Chrom gently kissed her forehead before leaving. His heart aching slightly as he walked towards the conference room.

"I guess I should probably buy one of those too," Robin mumbled to herself as soon as Chrom was out of earshot, one hand resting on her stomach, the other tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Seems I'm a little late."

 **-x-**

So, here I am, suddenly back to writing fanfiction. I started… more than 13 years ago (apparently), stopped around 9 years ago because I started college. Other things happened that prevented me from writing again, or writing more than a few pages of anything really. Just recently, a friend encouraged me to get back into writing, so I did and here I am, with a new account to start anew.

FE:A has a special place in my heart because I was going through some rough times and playing this game helped alleviate some of the stress and anxiety I was feeling. Taking a few liberties with the general personalities of Robin and Chrom but I'll try to keep these deviations as little (and as logical) as possible.

Here's to hoping people take kindly to this and that I get back into doing one of the things I love most: writing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Milestones** \- **Chapter 2**

" _Hey, what do you think about kids?" Chrom stepped on the pedal, accelerating slightly as he overtook another car. They were visiting his family for a couple of weeks during the summer break, his parents insisting in fact. Robin didn't think she'd ever get into a serious relationship, move this quickly, and be comfortable at this pace but their explosive argument about living arrangements changed their perspectives quite a bit._

 _Robin already met Chrom's parents and sisters, the four of them having come to campus their first year to see how well he was adjusting. Too well according to his older sister Emmeryn, who bonded with Robin over their shared love of books, just fine according to his younger sister Lissa, who quickly grew quite attached to Robin as another older sister._

 _She was anxious meeting his parents. What if they thought she wasn't good enough for their only son? Turns out it was quite the opposite, that their son wasn't good enough for her, Chrom protesting at the lack of allies, but happy and relieved Robin and his family were taking quite well to each other._

" _In general?" She leaned back against the chair, yawning slightly. "I like them just fine."_

" _No I mean do you want kids one day." Chrom drummed his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the music, keeping his eyes mostly on the road but managing a quick peek at Robin. She didn't seem too ruffled or perturbed by his question. "I mean it, love. Ever since Emm told me that she's pregnant, I guess I just found myself thinking about them more."_

 _Robin turned to look at Chrom. He really was serious, but at least his grip on the wheel was lax. It didn't seem he was going to be particularly worried about her answer, either way. After a few pensive moments, she said, "I never really thought about it to be honest. I've never known my mother. The fact that she died soon after giving birth to me is the most terrifying thought in the world, my father all but physically abandoned me…"_

 _Chrom's right hand let go of the wheel and instinctively found hers, squeezing it lightly. Robin looked away again, her cheeks starting to heat up as she smiled appreciatively. "Sorry for making you think about that. I know family's a bit of a touchy subject."_

" _I really don't know if I want kids. Maybe, maybe not," Robin started, curling her fingers and settling in the comfortable warmth spreading from her left hand. She glanced again at Chrom, trying to figure out his reaction before proceeding. "But if I ever want them, I think I'd like them to be your children."_

An alarm pulled her back into reality, a plain white stick turned over by the sink. Robin drummed her fingers on the cool marble, trying to calm her nerves as she stared at the stick. Chrom said he wanted children, so this shouldn't be something they were going to argue about but Robin felt a little guilty that she was hiding her suspicions from him.

Over the years, she warmed up to the idea of having their own children, especially when she saw how much of a doting uncle Chrom became after Emmeryn had given birth. In the quiet of early morning, Chrom still asleep, she often thought about how she would be curled up in the corner with a book, peeking over the pages as she watched Chrom laughing and chasing after a rambunctious toddler.

"It's not that I don't want kids, but maybe not yet…" Robin wanted a little more time being selfish with what she had. They were basically all but married, her otherwise in-laws not hurrying or pushing them to go down the aisle, their consulting firm was finally starting to pick up after years of hard work. Not that having a child was going to ruin everything, but it was going to change the dynamics of their lives. Most of all, after finally being able to redefine what a family is, some part of her was still afraid that she wasn't going to be a good enough parent, a good enough mother.

"Robin?" Chrom's voice rang loudly and clearly in her ears. She jumped, fumbling for the plastic, turning the stick in between her fingers as her eyes landed on the indicator. Time seemed to stop as her eyes widened, tears starting to form. When Chrom made his way to the bathroom, she couldn't stop them from trailing down her cheeks. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Remember that time when we spent two weeks at your parents' during summer vacation?" Her voice was surprisingly calm.

"Yeah, and?" He kissed her tears away, feeling her lashes brush against his cheek before she bent her head down and rest her head on his chest. "You're not telling me what's wrong, love."

"You were asking me if I wanted kids." Chrom pushed her away slightly, his brow knitted with concern.

"Don't want 'em anymore…?" He sounded a little dejected but he wouldn't force her to have any if she didn't want them. He could be fine without kids, maybe, but he definitely couldn't be fine without her.

"Well…" Robin wriggled free and waved the plastic in front of his face. Chrom looked on in confusion, trying to process where she was going with her rather odd stream of ideas and figure out what she was waving in front of him. When he finally realized he was looking at two pink lines in a circle, he picked her up and started laughing, tears forming as well. "Hey, put me down!"

"No, too happy love!" Chrom compromised by lowering her slightly but kept her feet dangling off the floor, carrying her off to their bed. Robin protested, halfheartedly striking her fists against his shoulders, threatening that spinning her around was just going to make her dizzy and maybe even throw up again.

"Hey seriously, let me down. My head's starting to hurt." Chrom mumbled a half-meant apology, grinning from ear to ear, finally letting her go. Robin sat down, Chrom sinking to his knees as he put his head on her lap, arms lazily wrapped around her waist. She looked up at the ceiling, absently stroking his head as he whispered words of affection to their unborn child.

"Nothing changes, you hear me?" She wasn't a delicate flower who would wither under the slightest bit of pressure. Staying cooped up at home wasn't going to do her any good either. "Unless the doctor says I'm risking my health or the baby's, I'm still going to do everything I physically can up until she's born."

"She?" Chrom looked up, straightening his back as he pulled her close, resting his head on her chest. Not that he minded. His expression turned wistful when he thought about a small Robin running around gleefully, suddenly turning bashful and hiding behind them when someone new approached her.

"Just have a feeling a precious little princess is going to join us." Robin cracked a smile, pulling away slightly as she rest both her hands on her still flat belly. "Nothing changes, you hear me Chrom?"

"Mmm," he murmured pushing her down into bed as he climbed in, towering over her. He dipped his head, tracing her jaw with soft kisses as his arms started to slack, lazily descending beside her. "Thank you, love."

"For what?" She turned to her side, brushing away his hair.

"For making me the happiest man in the world."

 **-x-**

A visit to the doctor confirmed that she was already pushing seven weeks, everything progressing smoothly. Robin had suddenly become all too aware that her belly was starting to show, Chrom insisting it was all in her head. Her doctor good-naturedly sided with Chrom, noting that most women don't show they're pregnant, especially with the first, until they were about three or so months along. Robin fussed, annoyed that they brushed away her comments with a smile, but relieved to know that their baby was in good shape.

"Come back in about four to six weeks. We'll have a more detailed ultrasound then. For now, congratulations are in order." The doctor closed Robin's folder with fluid efficiency, handing over the printed sonogram, her name clear at the top. "Try to delegate some more of your work to others if you can, especially the ones you don't personally have to handle. The less stress there is, the better it will be for you and your baby, but I don't see any reason for you to stop working."

The next few days were a whirlwind of activities, the two quietly announcing to their more immediate team of Robin's pregnancy. Frederick and Lon'qu were their typically stoic selves but cracked smiles once they heard the news. Cordelia and Olivia were jumping up and down, crying as they hugged Robin, peppering her cheeks with kisses. Gaius was laughing, pulling out the ever present lollipop from his mouth and smacked Chrom hard on the back, blabbing nonsense about how he knew Chrom was the boss in more ways than one.

Lissa was in town for a quick visit before flying off to the other side of the country to stay with Emmeryn. After setting up a video call with his parents and Emmeryn, Chrom told them about the coming addition to their family. Lissa squealed, jumping up and down, happy tears forming in her eyes. Emmeryn smiled, her daughter peeking into the camera wondering why everyone was talking. Robin detected a swell of pride and happiness in the posture her "in-laws."

At the end of the call, Emmeryn told them to keep her updated so she could bring Libra and their daughter over to visit. She wasn't going to miss seeing her only brother fumble around as a first time father, a wry smile as she ended the call before Chrom could protest. Their parents said they'd start looking for a place to stay for some time, to help around just a little when Robin was in her last month of pregnancy and for a few months after.

"Robin you're going to be a mom!" Lissa jumped up and down, squeezing Robin comfortingly as Chrom watched on. Robin laughed, patting Lissa on the head as she tried to get her to calm down. Lissa let go, excitedly chittering over to Chrom as she attempted to tackle him to the floor as she held him tight. "And Chrom's going to be a dad!"

 **-x-**

"Aaahh." Robin sunk further, until just her chin was above the warm water, her muscles suddenly aching from all the excitement. Lissa had just left that morning, though reluctantly because she wanted to stay longer to help look at baby things. Now, she just wanted to stay inside the bathtub, away from all the excitement that was apparently bubbling over from everyone still.

Frederick took it upon himself to space out her involvement in their projects, Robin thankful for their office manager's quiet support. Lon'qu, despite his rather shy ways around most women, announced his interest in taking some more leadership roles in future projects, especially ones that were going to last well into next year. Olivia seemed dedicated to make herself more confident in their presentations. Gaius, troublemaker that he was, became a little more serious when he thought no one was watching and along with Cordelia, started to take on just a little more work so as to reduce hers.

"If they thought they were doing a good job at pretending not to tread lightly around me, it's not working," Robin chuckled to herself, breathing in the soft ocean-infused scent of the bubble bath. For all her insistence that everything should remain the same, the past week and a half showed her they treated her still as their friend from college, not their boss. Though it was Chrom's name that bannered their company, there was a tacit understanding that it was a fruit of their labor as well.

"Tired?" Chrom waltzed into the bathroom, dropping a change of clothes into his basket as he started to undress. Robin sat up straight, moving jerkily as she started to panic. "Relax, it's not like we haven't seen everything before."

"Precisely because we've seen everything before is why I'm pregnant." Robin huffed, looking away as her face started to heat up, no thanks to the steam in the tub. "It's not your turn yet you know."

"Couldn't wait, back's killing me, damn Gaius." Chrom climbed in, pushing Robin gently forward as he maneuvered himself to the most comfortable position he could manage behind her. He let her fall against his chest, his head slightly lolling backwards as his knotted muscles started to relax.

"H-hey!" Robin reddened even further as she felt _all_ of him against her back, trying to wriggle free but his hands stopped her. The tips of his callous fingers dug slightly into her tense shoulders, rubbing slowly but purposefully, goosebumps forming in the wake of his touch. "C-chrom… C-can't…"

"Not going to do anything, just relax love," he whispered continuing to massage the tension away as he leaned forward and softly kissed the junction of her neck and shoulders. Robin shuddered into his touch, leaning backwards slightly, any resistance slowly slipping away. "There you go…"

"Don't… try… anything…" Robin gasped when he found a particularly knotted muscle just by her shoulder blades. "I'll… punch you… if you… try…"

"Threat duly noted." Robin vaguely registered a gleam in his eyes and mischief in his voice, all the tension and strength in her body melting away as he continued his massage.

 **-x-**

I realized, after writing this chapter, that there are going to be a lot of flashbacks and time skips. Apparently that's how the story is organically developing in my head, more than it being intentional, but I like how it's turning out so far. I kind of have the end roughly figured out in my head.

This is not going to be a story where Robin is basically pregnant with Lucina the entire time, planning for some chapters dedicated to her being pregnant with Morgan. Think of it as a little bit of drama, humor (hence the family genre) with lots of romance (sweet and suggestive) all around.

Not a lot of appearances from other FE:A characters, the ones that do show up playing mostly bit parts and maybe having some lines here and there. Almost all the interactions will just be focused on Chrom and Robin, Lucina (and Morgan) in tow when they're old enough.

I did take the liberty of pairing off Emmeryn with Libra, even though they don't have supports in the game. When I think of those two together, they seem to fit the kind, motherly/ fatherly type of older sibling which I feel Chrom and Lissa, the latter especially, sorely need. Their parents are alive as well, I can imagine them being doting grandparents.

Thanks for all the favorites, follows, and reviews so far, the last being so kindly appreciated. I haven't written creatively in years, most of my writing diverted to graduate school papers of all sorts, so I'd love to get some feedback on what you guys like so I can do more of that, and what you think I can improve on.

Cheers and here's to the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Milestones** \- **Chapter 3**

 _Robin moved silently, trying to keep a straight and emotionless face. If there was anything her father hated it was seeing her weak. He said he didn't raise her to be weak, but she always mentally argued he didn't raise her at all. He always left her to the care of one of the resident housekeepers, not that Robin minded. She was never left wanting for love and affection when she was with them._

 _Robin sucked in air, filling her chest with as much warmth as she could before she stepped into his office. She didn't see her father much, with him running one of the biggest corporations from early morning well into the night. The few times she did see him at home, there was always a different woman. Robin heard that her parents had an arranged marriage, their short-lived union a loveless one. "At least she didn't have to stay long with this insufferable man," she muttered, exhaling before she knocked._

" _Enter." His tone was always curt with her, as if she were one of his expendable employees instead of his daughter. Seated in an armchair, puffs of smoke curling outwards from his lips, Validar's eyes gleaming as he watched her move forward slowly, carefully._

" _You called?"_

" _I saw this in the foyer." Validar waved an envelope idly, Robin barely managing to make out the symbol on the upper right hand corner. It was the emblem for the university she had wanted to go to, to escape this life. She made the mistake of leaving it behind instead of bringing it to her room. "This is not the school I said you would go to."_

" _I didn't even take the entrance exam," Robin replied blandly, trying to hold her gaze._

" _You didn't need to, with all the donations I've made." Robin fought to keep her face from twitching, struggling as Validar kept his intense gaze on her._

" _I'm going where I want and you can't stop me."_

" _Oh? What makes you say that, stupid girl." Robin took slow, deep, and deliberate breaths. She practiced what she was going to say and her mind was made up._

" _I renounce all my rights to whatever inheritance I am entitled to from you. Whatever deal you struck with Mother's family, you can keep their business and merge it with yours, I don't care." Validar raised his eyebrow but didn't interrupt, wondering how she even knew. It must have been one of his late wife's pesky friends, who insisted on at least partially representing her interests somehow in the negotiations. "I have no affection for you, your family, or even Mother's family, only for the housekeepers who have taken care of me until now."_

" _Do you understand what you're saying? You'll be penniless before long and I doubt you can live on the streets for long." Validar held no affection for his legal daughter, only for the resources she brought with her. He married her mother because they were in desperate need of money to stay afloat. Flush with cash and seeing endless possibilities for growth, he accepted her family's terms of their eldest child in the marriage running the business. He had hoped to groom Robin to be endlessly loyal to him so he could eventually merge their business empires and rule in the shadows._

" _I've spoken with the lawyers. My only conditions are that the housekeepers be taken care of in their old age and whatever inheritance I have from Mother's personal finances. As soon as I've graduated, I'll move out, send for my things, and go to college where I please. In return, I will send a signed contract detailing everything I relinquish to you." Robin's eyes finally found their edge._

 _Robin's mother had always been a sickly woman. It was a miracle she was even able to safely carry and give birth to a child, though unfortunate she died soon after. The housekeepers had always told Robin that her mother was so excited to meet her, spending most of her days trying to set up her nursery just so. Her mother, her dear sweet mother had been unlucky to never escape her fate as a pretty bird in a gilded cage, but Robin was not going to let that happen. She felt she owed it not just to her mother, but to herself, to live as she pleased, unshackled by families born and bred in old money._

 _Validar considered her offer. Her mother actually left her quite a sizeable nest egg, having the good head to set up a trust for Robin. Still, the amount he would lose by allowing her to take it was a drop in the bucket compared to the billions he was set to make with everything else she offered in its stead. He let out a long puff of smoke, the bitterness lingering in the air as he spoke, "Very well."_

Robin bolted upright, her skin clammy as she shivered uncontrollably. It had been almost ten years since she last saw the man but there he was in her dreams. Occasionally, she'd hear about his company in the news. There was a young man by his side, the one who was undoubtedly going to take over when he died, one of his bastard sons turned legitimate when he married again, barely even a week after she had sent him the contract she promised. She cared very little about Validar, except when nightmares came.

"Love?" Chrom shrugged his sleepiness away as he pulled her close, rubbing her back soothingly as her shoulders heaved, body wracked with heavy sobbing. Chrom whispered encouragingly in her ear, tightening his hold to assure her she wasn't alone. Over the years, he learned that physical displays of affection reassured her the most, especially when she was too distraught to hear anything. "It's okay love, breathe. I'm right here, there's nothing to worry about."

Robin continued to cry but her body slowed, her movements less jerky as she continued to inhale and exhale deeply. She breathed in Chrom, a mix of spice and musk. He picked her up and settled her down in his lap, gently guiding her cheek to rest on his chest as he put his chin on the crown of her head, the pressure comforting as her breathing finally normalized.

"Better?" He never once stopped soothing her, this time kissing her tears away as he held her close, his free hand spread out and resting on her stomach. She was about six months along now, the swell of her stomach and the glow of her skin growing each day. He smiled into her white blond hair, their daughter kicking as though wanting to comfort her mother as well. At first they wanted the baby's gender to be a surprise, but curiosity got the better of them. The warmth of his touch comforted both his girls, Robin able to breathe better, the baby's movements slowing as well. "What's wrong? D'you want to talk about it?"

"I… I dreamt about him…" She finally settled down, closing her eyes as she put both her hands on top of the one he had on her stomach. "When I said I was leaving and striking out on my own."

Chrom frowned but said nothing. There was only one man in the world Robin was terrified of, one that took her years of dating before she was finally able to confide in. Validar had never made moves to contact her but years of emotional abuse and neglect took its toll on her. She turned out fairly well, unlike other children, but there were times when childhood fears and nightmares reared their ugly heads to gnaw at her.

"I don't regret the decision I've made. If I didn't, I wouldn't be where I am now. I wouldn't have you." Robin leaned deeper into his embrace, pulling his hand and resting it on her chest, her heart beat fast but steady. "But I'm afraid. What if I turn out like him…"

Robin was terrified of becoming like her father, that deep down she was just as selfish as he was. It took her years to be comfortable with just the _idea_ of having children. She didn't want anything to change. She was perfectly happy and fulfilled with her idyllic life with Chrom and having children meant nothing was ever going to be the same.

"I don't believe for a minute you'll ever be like him," Chrom lightly scolded, pulling her hand and bringing it to his lips. Robin looked at him through tears, slowly rolling down her cheek.

"How are you so sure?" She sounded small and afraid. He hated it when she was like that. It belied her strong, proud, and independent personality. "I didn't even know if I wanted kids. What if… what if I hate my own daughter because… because she's a burden?"

Robin clutched his shirt, tears threatening to spill as she started on her downward spiral. Ever since her pregnancy started to show, she had terrible thoughts of how she might turn out as a mother. She had known love as a child but she had never known the love of a parent. She saw it, the way the housekeepers lit up when their _own children_ came home, different when they were with her. It's not that they were being disingenuous but she just knew that the love of a parent was different. Their children would be their legacy and it had always gnashed at her that all Validar ever saw her as was a tool.

"How do you know?" Robin pressed on, dipping her head, her long hair covering her slightly throbbing eyes, tears starting to form again, and her reddening cheeks. "What makes you so confident?"

Chrom's heart broke. What could he do to allay her fears? First time parents were always afraid. Bringing a child into the world was such a big responsibility. It hurt to see her like this, thinking that she amounted to little else than a reflection of the man who was supposed to raise her. He started to grind his teeth, a long-forgotten habit he formed when he was angry but could do very little. He knew it was her battle to face but she needed to know that she wasn't going to be alone. Ever since they met, she was never going to be alone again.

"Because you know love, from the ones who took care of you, from your friends, from my parents, Emm, and Lissa, from me…" Chrom kissed her hand each time he mentioned someone who loved her. "Most importantly, you, love, are the heart of my heart. No one has given so much meaning to my life, who has given me so much love and all I want to do is somehow manage to show her even a fraction of everything she's given me."

Robin looked up at him, confused. Her eyes were wide, as if she could scarcely believe what she was hearing.

"Almost nine years we've been together love. I know that doesn't take away the hurt of eighteen insufferable years but I hope it can at least dull the pain." Chrom smiled wistfully, tracing her jaw in an attempt to stop it from shaking. "Love, your misfortune in parents given you doesn't define the kind of mother you'll be. My parents are far from perfect. There are things they've done I would never think to do to any child. Don't be afraid, I'm right here with you. We'll raise our little girl together. One day, when she decides to venture out on her own and maybe have her own family, though I loathe to think that day will ever come, she'll think of how we raised her, try to be like us but learn from our mistakes."

"Lucina…" Robin whispered breathlessly, her lips curving gently as she rest her head against his chest. Chrom's gentle words rung in her ears, pushing away her nightmare.

"What's that?" He rocked her gently, hoping sleep would come soon for her.

"I want to name her Lucina. More than our princess, I think she'll be the light of our lives."

"Lucina it is love," he murmured. He brushed her hair away, hoping to see her tears dry. He smiled when he found her comfortably asleep, her fingers loosening their grasp on his shirt.

 **-x-**

"Hey Chrom?" Robin walked up to Chrom, or more appropriately she started to waddle. Her back ached, the strain of six months starting to wear down on her. She tired easily, mostly due to physical exhaustion than anything else, much preferring to lounge around but forcing herself to do some sort of physical activity anyway. The doctor said moving around was good for her and the baby, for Lucina.

"Mm?" He turned around, setting his knife down on the cutting board.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, standing on her tiptoes and kissed him softly on the lips. She was a little bit taller than most women, but Chrom was also a little bit taller than most men, the crown of her head just managing to cover his line of sight when they both stood straight. Right now, he seemed taller than ever, like he could easily smother her in his arms and protect her from the world.

"For last night."

"More than happy to be of service, love." Chrom smiled warmly, reaching up and patting her soft silver-blonde hair.

"For everything really, for brushing away my insecurities, for telling me how much you love me." Robin's cheeks reddened as she said that, slightly embarrassed but happy just the same.

"Of course! Anything for you my love." With a grin and practiced bravado, he shooed her away. "And now, go and rest while I slave in the kitchen to feed my hungry girls!"

Robin crinkled her nose as she watched Chrom cook. Or attempt to cook anyway. As strangely and naturally talented he was at knifework, it seemed he was completely and utterly useless in actually cooking anything.

"Let me," Robin laughed, putting a hand on Chrom's arms as she surveyed the counter. There were eggs off to one side, beautifully chopped mushrooms and bacon in their own bowls. She knew there was fresh cream in the fridge and there were always lemons in their dining table's centerpiece. "You know, I've always wondered why the man I love is so skilled at using the knife but can't seem to piece together a halfway decent meal."

"I always just helped Emmeryn. I chopped, she cooked," he offered lamely, cheeks slightly reddening at her rather open affection. He was glad she was feeling better, no traces of her nightmare left. They woke up in time for lunch, their stomachs grumbling loudly in protest, pulling out laughter from them both when they finally climbed out of the black hole known as their mattress. The weekends were always lazy, though their middle-of-the-night-scare did do quite a number on them, adding to the fatigue of a busy workweek.

"Go get some flour, let's make some pasta." Robin loved to cook. Growing up, when she wasn't busy with school or being forced to go around with her father to keep up any pretenses he insisted on, she was always in the kitchen, either sampling food or helping make it herself.

"Frederick said he'd be coming over, some forms you need to sign. They arrived after we left." Chrom pulled out measuring cups, unfurling the paper bag as he started piling on flour on their counter.

"Just him?" Robin started to render the bacon fat, a smoky and salty aroma starting to fill the room. She filled up a pot with water, salt, and some oil, setting it on the flames and waiting for it to bubble.

"With Cherche I think." Chrom made a little crater in the center of the flour, cracking some eggs and tipping them out slowly into the flour.

"Did he propose yet?" Out went the bacon and in went the mushrooms for a quick saute. Robin sauntered over to the fridge to take out the butter and the cream, pecking Chrom's cheek lightly as she examined his handiwork. The pasta dough was coming together nicely. While he couldn't handle actually finishing any dish, he was at least very adept in the prep work.

"I think so? I remember him asking me about if he could take some time off soon but he never mentioned when." Chrom furrowed his brow thoughtfully, picking up a rolling pin and quickly flattening the dough.

"You'd think he needed your permission to get married." Robin laughed, pushing the mushrooms around in the pan. Chrom smiled, content to hear her laugh. Picking up a knife, Chrom cut medium-sized strips of dough, dusting more flour on them before bunching them up in a corner near Robin's reach.

"Well, I guess he does…? Leaves and all that." Frederick was a man with a profound sense of responsibility. He wasn't suddenly going to be gone for a week or two when there were projects abound.

He had already graduated when they met, working for a family friend, but gave a guest lecture in class. Their professor invited a couple of his best former students to give his current ones real life examples of how the concepts they learned in class worked in an actual business. Chrom and Robin were fascinated by his stories and struck a fast friendship with the man, eventually discussing with him their plans to start their own company and invited him to join them.

"I suppose… but it's not like we can't survive without him for two weeks. He worries too much. We're not children." Robin smiled, the gurgling of hot water humming in the background. Without skipping a beat, she quickly slipped in the pasta in the water then turned her attention back into the mushrooms. They were slightly shrunken now.

"That's true," Chrom picked up a piece of bacon and popped in his mouth, deftly managing to avoid a swat of Robin's hand. He grinned cheekily, picking up another piece and pushing it past her lips. "Should I get some lemons?"

Robin half-frowned at him but there was laughter in her eyes.

"I take your silence as a yes." He slipped out to the dining room, picking up a large lemon from the bowl.

All this talk about Frederick and Cherche got him to start wondering about their relationship. It's not like it was in any trouble but they weren't married and they were about to have a child in three months. He already knew long ago that he couldn't imagine spending his life with anyone else but that hadn't spurred him into the idea of proposing. Before, he thought it might scare her away and he was perfectly content as long as they were together. Now that they were about to be joined by a little girl of their own, it seemed as right a time as any to ask. If she was ready to bear his child, maybe she was finally ready to bear his name as well.

"I should probably find some time to sneak away, maybe ask Olivia for some help," he mumbled to himself, palming his phone in his pocket. Olivia was ever the romantic and one of Robin's closest friends. He was sure she'd know what Robin would like, though there was one detail he knew he would have to insist on. The band would be rose gold, to match the jewelry Robin's mother had made especially for her: a delicate rose gold chain necklace with a pendant of a bird in flight and a pair of diamond earrings set in the same metal.

 **-x-**

For anyone who's wondering (I most definitely am myself, haha), this version of Robin is the tall build with her hair pulled back into a ponytail (or otherwise let down) and the default white-blonde hair you see in the official, promotional pictures.

Also, when did Chrom become this motivational and inspirational romantic? The Chrom I imagined for this story is confident, charismatic, and forthright, a little bit more than cheeky when it's just him and Robin. Romantic too but not one for grand gestures, mostly just affectionate in most everything that he does. But then again, I also always imagined him to somehow find the right words to say to inspire and motivate. Since it's Robin we're talking about, it's not such a stretch to imagine that it sometimes includes grand gestures. /justifying-to-self

I searched to see the history of the name Lucina, and what I found is both wonderfully surprising and heartwarming. says it is Juno's title as the goddess of childbirth and also literally means "she that brings to the light." This is endearing given the game's story, especially if you pair Chrom with Robin IMHO, and given the rather dark past of Robin in this story.

After such a dark first half, I figured I'd lighten the atmosphere again with some slice-of-life sort of scene. I don't think I'll have Validar actually show up in this story, probably just contained to flashbacks since he's gotten everything he wanted from Robin anyway. This is more a slice of life sort of story anyway, not something dramatic where Robin has to face her childhood demons in order to move on.

Hope everyone likes it! As always, reviews are very much appreciated and if you have any suggestions as to where you hope this story will go, by all means send them to me. I only have very broad strokes of where I want the story to go. Nothing is set in stone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Milestones** \- **Chapter 4**

 _I don't think I ever remember asking her to be my girlfriend_ Chrom mused, drumming his fingers idly on the steering wheel. He managed to get out of the office for a couple of hours, meeting a new client he said while convincing Robin to stay. It was just going to be a friendly meeting over coffee, no real discussion of business. Robin had a suspicious gleam in her eyes but let him go anyway. They almost always went together, the slight hitch in his voice nearly betraying his true intentions.

Everything seemed to naturally fall into place. They spent nearly every waking moment together ever since they met, from meeting for schoolwork or even just going out for coffee. Neither of them bothered to go to parties to meet new people, normally preferring the night to themselves. They had been "seeing" each other almost exclusively until they fought then decided to move in together, rendering them even more inseparable. They were living together almost three months when Chrom's family came to visit and that was the only time he had ever had to explicitly call Robin his girlfriend, a fact that was otherwise already assumed by everyone they knew. Neither of them minded.

 _Oh well, little too late for that now._ Chrom crinkled his nose slightly and laughed, the engine roaring to life when the light turned green. He was on the way to the jewelry shop Frederick had recommended, Robin expressing delight and awe at the ring Cherche was wearing when they had lunch the other day. Now was one of the moments where Chrom relished in Frederick's relative calm and silence, likely able to keep the impending proposal a secret. Everyone else probably would have spilled the beans not even five minutes from finding out.

How was he even going to propose? Ring at the bottom of a champagne flute was too cheesy. It was doubtful he was going to manage to find the time to set up their living room just so, rose petals strewn everywhere, candles illuminating their home. That and Robin was probably just going to laugh at him for all the effort. He was affectionate but he wasn't a cheesy, romantic sap. She was a little less affectionate, the gap replaced by mirthful mischief, but also shuddered at open displays of cheesy romance.

 _Restaurant ought to do it, maybe one with a private alcove or something. She'd probably hit me if everyone started staring at us_. She was never one for attention, already easily embarrassed whenever people began to speak even a single word of praise about her. Robin much preferred to let her work speak for itself. _Maybe I could set it up during afternoon tea. She does love those sandwich bites, the petit fours, the cookies, and tea. That would make it at least different from the clich_ _é_ _of proposing after dinner._

Chrom pulled up in front of the jewelry store, a parking slot conveniently available beside the entrance. It seemed to be popular and expensive, judging from the number of fancy cars parked in front. He swallowed a particularly large lump down, nervous but he assumed everyone inside was. Buying an engagement ring wasn't supposed to be something anyone was used to. Sucking in air, Chrom pushed open the door, hoping the sales staff weren't going to be pushy and forcing him to look at expensive, gaudy baubles for hours.

"Good afternoon Sir! How may I be of assistance?" The woman who greeted him smiled warmly, washing away Chrom's dread and anxiety. She looked like she was in her forties, happy too but he wasn't sure if that was because she was at work and he was a potential client willing to spend for his love. "Have you been here before? I can call for the sales associate who assisted you previously if you have." She smiled again, placating whatever was left of his fears. She was nice, she'd be perfect in helping him decide.

"Ah, no. I've only just recently decided I wanted to propose to my girlfriend…" Chrom said a little sheepishly, scratching his head, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. His eyes darted around, glancing over at the others who were in the store, artfully secluded, the rings they were examining well hidden from prying eyes. "But she's pregnant now, about six months, so I'm not sure how that's going to work out when it comes to the size…"

"Oh that's wonderful to hear! Congratulations, Sir," she smiled warmly, putting what he felt to be a motherly hand to his shoulder as she guided him to her desk. After seating him in a comfortable wingback chair, she took her place behind her own desk and pulled out some papers and a few laminated brochures, starting off the consultation. She kindly explained the process, laying the brochures in such a way he wouldn't be overwhelmed by the information, asking if he wanted some water as well. It was going to be a long, and hopefully fruitful discussion.

Chrom glanced at the brochures, one about the different gems they offered, another about how they were graded, the different settings, the process of designing a unique ring if he so desired. The large annoying lump came back, this time washed by the thankfully present cold glass of water, sobering him slightly. He didn't think this was going to be so difficult, his brow furrowing as he hummed in quiet contemplation. Maybe he should have asked Olivia or Cordelia to come, but having either of them supposedly attending a business meeting would make Robin even more suspicious. Frederick would have been a better choice, Chrom berating himself inside, but he wanted this to be a decision he made alone, a gift to Robin inasmuch as it was going to be a gift for him if she accepted.

"Has she expressed any inclination to any design about a ring?" The saleswoman kindly steered the direction for him, Chrom shooting her a thankful look as he picked up his phone and thumbed through a few pictures.

"Her mother had these made for her when before she was born," Chrom offered. He only just noticed the diamond earrings were cut to look like a square, rose gold curved almost protectively around each of the corners. "I think something made of rose gold to match, and maybe the same shape of the diamond if that's possible. Oh and here's a picture of her hand, if that's helpful too." The saleswoman clucked appreciatively, examining the new picture Chrom pulled up. Robin had long candle-like fingers, her prettily manicured nail beds long and trimmed with a similar rounded style.

"Let me pull up some files to see if the rings I have in mind are still here. I think we have a few options that might suit your requirements," she said gently, turning her attention to her computer to check what rings they had in store and where they were held. Chrom nodded, squirming in his seat as he pulled back his phone. He zoomed out on the picture, smiling at the picture. It was one of the few decent selfies he'd taken at the beach when they visited his parents, Robin's left hand lifted to shield her eyes, her mouth turned up in a wide smile. He jumped in his seat and nearly dropped his phone when it rang, Robin's picture taking over.

"Hey, what's up?" Chrom tried to bite back the nervousness in his voice. Gods, he was normally pretty collected but ever since he decided to propose, he was a bundle of nerves. He wasn't sure how long he could keep this up.

"Did the meeting go well?" Robin's voice sounded tired, serene but tired.

"Interesting developments. They were just shopping around and trying to figure out if they had the budget for a couple of consultation gigs," he lied.

"Tell me about it when you get home?"

"Sure…"

"I'll be going home in a bit, Mother Frederick insists. He caught me dozing off on more than one occasion." Robin laughed, Chrom's ears picking up a little when he heard it.

"Do as Mother Frederick tells you my dear. I'll head home in a bit, just finishing up my drink. I'll pass by that little cafe you like and buy dinner."

"Okay! Get me that dessert crepe too that we always share, except… I don't think I'll be sharing any."

"Guess I'll get one for myself too. Bye love, see you in a bit." Chrom hung up after Robin telling him to hurry home, Frederick clucking in the background about how she should be on her way as well. "Mother Frederick indeed." A chuckle escaped his lips. Just as he pocketed his phone, the saleswoman came back with a velvet-lined tray, various rings slotted in the different recesses. Chrom nearly had to close his eyes when the light hit a particularly sparkly diamond.

"Not all of these are set in a rose gold band, but I thought if you were willing to wait, we could order something similar but with rose gold instead," said the saleswoman, pushing the tray slightly forward. Chrom nodded, taking another sip of water before starting. They were all very nice. A quick glance showed that most of them in that slightly rounded square shape, others with the corners cut at a slightly more angular and linear edge, still others a perfect square. Robin would have been glad to receive any of them, he thought, but none of them screamed her name.

Breathing slowly, he started again from the left, thinking he may have skipped the details in his haste to look at all seven rings. Going over each of them like a prayer, his index finger ran against the velvet just below each ring, moving slowly as he eyed the different design elements on the ring. None of them were gaudy or were set with too many diamonds, each with a simple strength that did not belie its beauty. A small smile curved his lips as he imagined Robin's left hand, the diamond glinting as she moved to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, a shy smile on her lips as she looked back at him with only love in her eyes.

As he continued his inspection, his finger stopped in front of the ring in the middle and picked it up from its place. It had three bands melded together, the top and bottom made with rose gold. The slightly thinner middle band was silver, tinged lightly with blue, branching upwards towards the center, separating from the rose gold, lifting a square cushion cut diamond, impeccable especially in its cut and clarity, small light blue gems surrounding it. He found it. The ring was delicate, despite the amount of work that must have gone into it. It was perfect, just like her.

"This one," he barely managed to croak out, half-wondering if she heard. Her smile assured him that she did, taking the ring almost reverently from him as she set it on a different tray, a smaller one with only one groove. She took away the bigger tray and stood up, Chrom almost too transfixed on the ring to even notice. His fingertips brushed lightly against the small gems, aquamarine she said helpfully. _She was born in March_ he thought, quietly admiring the coincidence of her birthstone surrounding the diamond.

"Let me set these away and I'll be right back." She could see the love in his eyes and his sudden and sharp inhale when he picked it up. It was presumptuous of her, but maybe not quite, when she decided to bring the rest of the jewelry that accompanied the ring when she came back.

It was rare that they made wedding rings to match the engagement rings they crafted, often because most couples chose to buy their wedding bands elsewhere. They knew their wares were high priced and it was often enough for them to be the start of the next chapter of their customers lives. Sometimes though, their founder would decide to design a three ring set himself, smiling wistfully about some things sprung from the mind of artists were destined for someone yet to come. They were a small business, only having the one store, but the work of their jewelers was spoken quite highly of.

"This comes with a matching wedding ring set as well Sir," the saleswoman offered helpfully, pulling out the two other rings and setting it gently on the velvet. The matching set was simple. Hers would be two even thinner bands interlocking, shifting almost imperceptibly from rose gold on the right to silver blue on the left. A sturdier, somewhat thicker version was his. A small round cut diamond sparkled faintly, set in exactly where the two bands interlocked. "The engagement ring stacks nicely as well on top of the wedding ring, if she would like to wear them both."

"I'll take these then" Chrom smiled, for the first time without any nerves threatening to crack. "I suppose you offer resizing services as well?" He reached for his wallet, pulling out a credit card and handing it forward.

"Yes we do. Please come back after your baby is born to see if we need to resize both her rings. If only because of experience, women's hands and feet tend to swell during pregnancy." She smiled again, taking the card and busying herself with pulling out payment plan details, Chrom visibly touched that she remembered.

 **-x-**

It was just after six when he got home, shoving the door open with his shoulder, hands otherwise preoccupied with freshly cooked bread, pasta, and crepes neatly packed away. He wondered where he was going to keep the rings, almost afraid to keep them at home because Robin could find it. He wasn't going to delay the proposal, but he didn't have all the details quite figured out. After dropping off the food and setting up the dining table, he started to look for Robin.

"Love? I'm home. Want to have dinne—" Robin was seated on their armchair reading, her free hand resting on the peak of her swollen belly. She glanced up and smiled, beckoning Chrom to come over as she grimaced slightly. Lucina must be kicking. The soft light hit her features just right, blurred shadows falling perfectly to highlight her pregnancy even more. Chrom knelt down almost reverently, his plans for proposal changing rapidly as he gently set his head down, pressing an ear just shy of her belly button. How could he wait any longer to ask her to marry him if this is what he came home to every day?"

"How was the meeting?" Robin set down her book, lifting her newly freed hand to stroke Chrom's hair. She leaned back comfortably, smiling despite Lucina's rather forceful kicks. Chrom shifted, his face turning a shade more serious, his blue eyes darkening slightly. "Chrom…?"

"Will you marry me?" Robin's face paled slightly, grimacing despite herself as Lucina continued to kick. "Robin, love, will you marry me? Nine years we've been together but I think ever since I met you I thought we'd be together forever. I was even more sure when we fought about living together in college. I've always entertained proposing, but was always afraid because I thought you'd say no and leave me and I couldn't bear to be without you. After your nightmare last Saturday, I want to erase whatever hold your past and your father have on you and start anew, with me and Lucina for you to call your family and to come home to."

"Chrom…" Robin's eyes were quickly filling with tears as she angled herself forward, cupping his face in her hands. The words she was so proud to have mastery over were failing her now. All she could feel was her heart pounding loudly, her ears drumming wildly, and Lucina kicking almost, dare she think it, joyfully at what her father was saying. Chrom smiled again, pulling away slightly as he fished the velvet box he thankfully decided to keep in his pocket.

"Robin, love, will you marry me?" He opened the box, still with the three rings but her engagement ring glittering brilliantly in the dim light. Robin nodded, tears falling freely now as she rubbed her thumbs affectionately on his cheeks. Chrom turned slightly, kissing the palm of her hand before pulling away and picking up the ring and setting it on her finger. It was a slightly tight fit and would probably be perfect once the pregnancy-related swelling went down. "I hope it wasn't presumptuous of me to have bought our wedding rings already. It was a set and they looked beautiful together." Chrom shifted, his cheeks a deep red as he held her left hand, thumb running over the skin just before her new ring.

"I'm guessing you didn't have a meeting after all." Robin brushed her tears away with the back of her hand, her gaze alternating between Chrom and the ring, Lucina finally settling down, almost as if the excitement was too much for her and it was time to sleep. Chrom laughed sheepishly, apologizing but said it's not like there was any other way. Robin smiled, pressing a chaste kiss to his forehead, his skin tingling long after she pulled away. "Come on and help me up. Lucina was quite energetic today, tiring me out. I deserve a good dinner!"

"I'd carry you to our table but I don't think there's any safe way for me to do that in your state." Chrom's eyes twinkled, pushing himself off the ground and offering both hands to his girlf— fiancée. Robin grumbled as she pulled herself up, her back killing her as she waddled forward tiredly, leaning as much weight as she could on Chrom as he led them to the kitchen. "Want to keep it a secret for a while? A secret just for us... at least until the family arrives for your birthday."

"Mmm, it's a little tight anyway. I think I can just put it on the same chain as the necklace from Mother, it matches beautifully," Robin whispered almost breathlessly, squeezing Chrom's hand. "We should set up the spare room for Mom and Dad. They did say they were going to stay starting a month prior to my due date." They insisted she call them mom and dad when they visited that summer, his parents deciding that they weren't going to wait for her to officially, legally, become part of their family to treat her as such.

"I chose it with the jewelry your mother left behind in mind," Chrom said quietly, smiling as he helped her settle down in her chair. Robin's heart warmed at his thoughtfulness.

"You beautiful beautiful man, what ever have I done to deserve you?"

"Sometimes I wonder that myself." Robin laughed as she shoved him affectionately, shooing him into the kitchen and demanding her food.

 **-x-**

The next two and a half months went by quickly. It was hard to keep quiet, Olivia and Cordelia sensing something different about her. Robin assured them it was just pregnancy hormones but her two best friends raised a dubious eyebrow, muttering to themselves that it was something else. Frederick would always have a knowing smile on his face when he heard them but kept to himself. He knew that look. It was the one Cherche had almost all the time ever since he asked her to marry him.

She and Chrom seemed to butt heads even more at work, unusual because despite Frederick's excellent pacing of work, there were a couple of emergency meetings that demanded Robin's attention and effort. Chrom worried that she was pushing herself too much, especially given how quickly she got tired but their arguments dissipated quickly whenever she saw the genuine worry reflecting in the deep blue of his eyes. She just apologized, mumbling something about hormones and inconsiderate clients, breathing him in as he pressed her into the crook of his neck, his chin resting lightly on the crown of her head.

Her birthday in early March was a low key affair, opting to celebrate it with family. As expected, Lissa screeched with delight, demanding to see the ring, when they had announced their engagement, Libra and Emmeryn smiling contentedly to the side, their level-headed daughter Clair wondering what Aunt Lissa was excited about this time. Chrom's parents were crying tears of relief when they found out Chrom had finally mustered the courage. He talked about it with them sometimes, when Robin wasn't around, terrified at the thought of her saying no. They saw how much they loved and needed each other to know that she was going to say yes.

Chrom popped open a bottle of champagne, offering a glass to everyone, substituting Robin's and Clair's with a bubbly Cinderella instead. Lissa couldn't keep still and insisted on seeing the nursery, prattling on about how she wanted to see if there was anything else she could add for her assuredly wonderful new niece Lucina, dragging a laughing Robin and a curious Clair behind her. It made the rest of the adults wonder who truly was the child, Lissa or Clair.

"What finally pushed you to do it?" Chrom eyed his mother, smiling sadly into his champagne flute.

"She had a nightmare about her father. She thought she was going to become like him, only a mother in name but no love in her heart for her daughter," he confessed, still a little sad that was what made him finally decide. "But I said she would never because she knew love and was full of it. I wanted to put the past behind her by making this, us, her family instead. You know how they say man and woman cut ties with their parents and to start their own family? Something like that. It's not like I rushed into the idea anyway, it was just the last thing I needed to be strong enough to ask."

Emmeryn, Libra, and Clair flew home after a couple of days, promising to be back as soon as Lucina was born. Lissa begrudgingly drove back home, living halfway between Chrom and Robin and their parents. She insisted to be told the minute Robin was in labor and she'd come rushing back, refusing to miss the birth of her second niece.

Finally on maternity leave at the start of April, Robin spent the next three or so weeks packing the hospital bag, cooking, and baking, her soon to be parents-in-law announcing she had missed her true calling and lamented their upcoming visit with their cardiologist with all the wonderful homemade food she was feeding them.

"How'd Olivia do? She called me earlier, very nearly crying my ear off about how nervous she was before your presentation today." Robin shifted in bed, trying to find a comfortable position but to no avail. She wished Lucina would come sooner, the size of her stomach and the frequency and strengths of Lucina's kicks making it nearly impossible to sleep. She was so exhausted but couldn't sleep for more than an hour at a time, an hour and a half if she was lucky.

"She did very well. The clients were so enamored that they wanted her to be there and help them with their own presentation to their board. One of them even thought of asking her out for dinner after." Chrom settled into bed beside her, lying down close as he let his hand rest on her belly.

"Was Lon'qu there?" Robin put her hands on top of his, the weight comfortable and seemed to be settling Lucina down, hopefully for the long haul. At this rate, she just wanted one decent night's rest, her lids growing heavier and heavier.

"Yeah, he shot the poor man death glares." Chrom laughed sleepily. He shifted slightly, burying his face in her hair. Just as he was about to fall asleep, Robin elbowed him sharply, struggling as she tried to sit up straight. "Oww Robin what was that fo—" His words died in his throat as she turned to face him, her eyes glassy.

"My water just broke," she said simply. His hand flew down to the bed, feeling a wetness that shouldn't have been there.

 **-x-**

I was struggling to write this for the past week and a half, and then when I finally decided to just sit down and stare at the chapter this afternoon, lo and behold I ended up writing over 3500 words to finish up this chapter.

As always, constructive reviews are highly encouraged. It lets me know what I'm doing right, if any, and what I can improve on.

Hopefully the next one won't take me quite as long to write!


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